Car-stake.



PATENTED SEPT. 10, 1907. J. W. STOKOE.

GAR-STAKE.

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W1 YMESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. STOKOFI, OF JEANERETTE, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HENRY O. SCRANTON, OF JEANERETTE, LOUISIANA.

CAR-STAKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 10, 1907.

Application filel May 4:, 19,07. Serial No. 371,838.

`United States, residing at Jeanerette, in the parish of Iberia and State of Louisiana, have invented a new and useful Car-Stake, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to car stakes and its object is to provide simple and durable devices of this character designed to be secured to the sides of a car platform, and which, when not in use, can be swung and slid out of operative position.

Another object is to provide simple and eflicient means for holding the stake either in raised or lowered position without the use of separate fastening means.

A still further object is to provide stakes which, by reason of their peculiar connections with their supports, can be caused to lap when in inoperative position, thereby permitting the stakes to be placed close together. I

Another object is to provide stakes each of which constitutes a housing for a chain or similar flexible device, the devices within the several stakes being designed to be drawn outward therefrom and fastened across the platform.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings is shown the preferred form of the invention.

In said drawings: Figure l is a side elevation of a portion of a car having stakes thereon constructed in accordance with the present invention, certain of the stakes being in raised position and the stake supports being shown both in section and elevation; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through one of the stakes and its support7 Fig. 3 is a section on line :c-c, Fig. 4; Fig. 4 is a section on line yv-fy, Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a section on line Z-Z, Fig. 4, the stake being shown in elevation.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, l. designates a car platform and secured to each side thereof at desired intervals apart are supports 2 each of which is preferably held in place by means of bolts 3. Each of these bolts is formed of heavy metal and has oppositely disposed, substantially sectoral recesses 4 formed therein and communicating at the center of the support where a central stop lug 5 is located. One of the walls of each recess is perpendicular to the top of the car platform as shown at 6 and these two walls are located in planes spaced apart a distance equal to the width of the car stake which will be hereinafter described.

The opposite walls 7 of the two recesses are disposed at angles of about one hundred degrees to the top of the platform although it is to be understood that this angle may be varied to suit different conditions. rhese two walls are also located in places which are spaced apart a distance equal to the width of the stake. The lower recess 4 is partly closed at the periphery of the support by an arcuate wall 8, there being an opening 9 formed between the lower end of the wall and the vertical wall of the lower recess and another opening l0 between the upper end of the arcuate wall and the adjoining wall of the lower recess. Opening l0 is equal in width to the width of the stake hereinafter described, whereas the opening 7 is of less width. The walls G and 7 of the two recesses are grooved longitudinally as indicated at ll and the inner curved face of the arcuate wall 8 is also curved as shown at l2. rl`he walls of the opening 9, however, are not grooved but instead form abutments 13 for the purpose hereinafter described.

lhe stake 14 used in connection with each support consists of an elongated metallic member formed with ribs I5 which extend longitudinally along the sides thereof and are designed to fit within the grooves ll. These ribs terminate short of the lower end of the stake and said end is reduced in thickness to form a tongue 1G. A groovell is formed longitudinally within one face of the stake and the stop lug 5 projects thereinto and therefore serves to limit the longitudinal movement of the stake. The groove is so located and proportioned as to permit the tongue 1G to be raised out of opening 9 and to travel within groove l2, and also to permit the stake to be moved longitudinally through the opening l() until the lug 5 assumes a position at the center of the stake. A passage 18 is formed longitudinally within the stake and opens through the lower end thereof and also through the inner face of the upper portion of the stake. Within this passage is slidably mounted a chain 19 having a weight 20 at one end, while its upper end projects through the inner face of the stake and is provided with a hook 29 or other suitable device whereby the chain may be fastened to a similar one located at the opposite side of the car.

The supports 2 are designed to be secured to the sides of the platform l, the distances between them being about one-half the length of the stakes. The parts are so proportioned that when the stop lugs 5 are in contact with the upper ends of the grooves l7 the stakes lie in inclined positions with the sides of the platform, the upper halves of the stakes lapping the lower halves of the adjoining stakes. When the stakes are thus positioned their upper ends are below or flush with the top -of the platform, as shown in Fig. l. When it is desired to raise a stake so that the same can be used for retaining a load upon the platform, the stake 'is drawn longitudinally until the lug 5 contacts with the lower end of groove 17. The stake is then swungr upward and tongue 16 will travel within the curved groove 12 until it assumes a position above the opening 9. The stake will then move downward by gravity with the reduced end thereof within the opening 9 and this downward movement will be stopped by the ends of ribs 15 coming into contact with the abutments 13. Hook 21 can then be pulled across the platform carrying the weighted chain therewith, and can be tastened to asimilar hook `extending from an stake at the other side of the platform. When the hooks are released the weights will return the chains to their normal positions whereupon the stake can be lowered by reversing the operation hereinbefore described.

What is claimed is:

l. The combination with a fixed support having oppositely disposed communicating sectoral recesses and a projecting device within the support and at the point ot' communication between the recesses; ot a stake slidably mounted within the recesses and disposed to swing therein to assume an upright or a non-upright position, said stake having a longitudinal groove into which the projecting device extends, said support havingan aperture to receive one end portion ot' the stake to hold it when in an upright position.

2. The combination with a ti'xed support having lop-` postely disposed connnunicating sectoral recesses, and a projecting device within the support at the point ot com-v munication between the recesses; of a stake slidaloly mounted within said support and disposed when partly withdrawn therefrom to swing within the recesses to assume an upright or a non-upright position, said stake having a longitudinalgroove into which the projecting' device extends to limit the longitudinal movement ot' the stake, said support having means to hold the stake when in an upright position and to prevent the swinging movement thereof when extending through the support in a non-upright position.

3. The combination with a iixed support having opA positely disposed communicating sectoral recesses, and a projecting device within the support at the point of c0111- munication between the recesses; ot' a stake slidably mounted within said support and disposed when partly withdrawn therefrom to swing within the recesses to assume an upright or a non-upright position, said stake `having a longitudinal groove into ywhich the projecting device extends .to limit the longitudinal movement o1 the stake,- said support having means to hold the stake when in an upright position and to prevent the swinging movement thereof. when extendingthrough the support in a non-upright position, and a weighted flexible device normally housed within the stake and disposed to be partly withdrawn therefrom.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signaturein the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. STOKOE.

Witnesses z .l. Ross Connonx, C, ll. Dormi. 

